Combination sit-bath and commode



July 9, 1968 H. ANDERSON COMBINATION SIT-BATH AND COMMODE I 2 Sheets-Shes;

Filed April 1. I966 HELEN muuscmsasofl Jhly 9, 968 H. 1.. ANDERSON I 3,3 ,408"

r COMBINATION SIT-BATH AND COMMODE 2 Sh eets Shect 2 Filed A9511 1. 1966 mvmon United States Patent 3,391,408 COMBINATION SIT-BATH AND COMMODE Helen Louise Anderson, 606 Allison Ave. SW., Roanoke, Va. 24016 Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,418 Claims. (Cl. 4-134) The present invention relates to a portable sit-bath commode combination which may be used in any room of the house. In most instances, it will be used by convalescing or sick patients in their own bedrooms, who, because of inflrmities, are unable to get to a bathroom. The present invention is also designed to aid persons suffering from various ailments of the legs and feet. For example, a person with a broken leg having to wear a cast for months is unable to get into a regular type tub. Also persons suffering from various skin disorders, ulcerated varicose veins, or other disorders of the legs and feet whereby the legs and feet should not be subjected to water may also benefit from the present invention.

The combination of the present invention may also provide bathroom facilities for people living in crowded quarters in large cities where the lack of plumbing or inadequate plumbing leaves such people without proper sanitation. It is also available to people living in remote farming sections or mountainous regions where the luxury of a bathroom is unknown. This invention will serve as a convenience in many instances where indoor bath and toilet facilities are not available such as summer beachhouses, mountain cabins and the like. Therefore, the present invention will contribute greatly as a health factor to the cleanliness and well being of an unlimited number of people.

The present invention provides an attractive lightweight sit-bath and commode which may easily be transported by a single person. It is durable in form and economical to produce. An attractive and comfortable boudoir chair may also be provided by the simple addition of a seat cushion and a skirt about the leg of the chair.

.A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily apparent as the same becomes understood by reference tothe following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combination sit-bath and commode with the lid and chamber pot in place;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the combination sitbath and commode with the cover for the chamber pot removed;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line 3--3 in FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 1 with the various elements shown in spaced relation.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the invention, the combination sit-bath and commode is comprised of an integral one piece molded plastic body portion having a back, arms, and a bowl-shaped base. The bowl-shaped base is adapted to be covered by a removable lid having an opening therein to receive a chamber pot and a cover therefor. The chair is supported by detachable leg members secured to the bottom portion of said bowl-shaped base.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, 10 designates generally the one piece molded chair body having a back 12, arms 14 and a bowl-shaped base portion 18. The arms preferably have a contoured upper surface as indicated at 16 to provide a non-slip gripping surface to aid in safely lifting oneself from the chair. The upper surface of the arms may also be provided with a non-skid friction material. The base portion is provided with an outlet spigot 20 closed by means of a cap 22 which may be screwed,

3,331,408 Patented July 9, 1968 snapped or otherwise suitably secured to the spigot. The base portion is further provided with integral molded leg portions 24 to which detachable leg members 26 may be secured. The detachable leg portions may be secured to the molded leg portions by means of a screw connection, a press-fit connection or any other suitable connecting means. The two front legs are provided with rubber caps 28 which may be frictionally secured thereto to prevent the chair from slipping while in use. The two rear legs are provided with rollers 29 which may also be frictionally secured to the ends of the leg members to aid in moving the chair from one place to another. While a combination of rubber caps and rollers has been shown in the drawings, it is also contemplated that all four legs may be provided with rubber caps or all four legs may be provided with rollers since the caps and rollers are readily interchangeable.

The upper portion of the bowl-shaped base portion is provided with an integrally molded rim 32 extending about the circumference of the chair in the general area of the seat portion. A lid 34 rests on the upper surface of the rim 32 and is provided with reinforcing strips of metal 36 secured to the undersurface thereof. The lid 34 may be made of molded plastic material and while reinforcing strips of metal have been illustrated, it is fully contemplated that the reinforcing may be in the form of integrally molded reinforcing ribs on the undersurface of the lid. The lid 34 is provided with a central aperture or hole 40. This aperture 40 is surrounded by a reinforcing middle ring 38. As mentioned previously, the reinforcing may also be in the form of an integrally molded rib surrounding the aperture 40. The upper surface of the lid 34 is provided with an annular recess 42 about the periphery of the aperture 40. A chamber pot 44 provided with an annular flange 46 about the upper periphery thereof is inserted in the aperture 40 with the flange 46 resting in the annular recess 42. The chamber pot is provided with a cover 48 and the depth of the annular recess 42 is approximately equal to the combined thicknesses of the annular flange 46 and the chamber cover 48. This enables the chamber and the cover to be flush with the upper surface of the lid to provide a smooth seat portion. The chamber cover 48 is provided with a hand grip 49 in the form of two recessed portions on either side of a bar portion readily adapted to be gripped by the fingers for removing the cover from the chamber pot. It is obvious that the handle may also be in the form of a pivoted member which is adapted to be received in a recess in the upper surface of the cover when not in use. The chamber pot 44 is provided with a handle 50 pivoted to the inside wall of the chamber pot adjacent the flange 44 by means of pivots 52. The inside wall of the chamber pot 44 is provided with a stop member 54 adapted to support the handle when it is pivoted downwardly into the inoperative position.

Thus, it is seen that when it is desired to use the chair as a sit-bath it is only necessary to remove the lid 34 and the chamber pot 44 therein from the rim 32 about the upper periphery of the bowl-shape base portion. The person then may lower themselves into the b0wl-shape portion which may be filled with water to take a sit-bath. The chair is ordinarily a little higher than the average sitting chair so that a patient may slide back into the bowl-shape portion without having to crouch too low to get into it. Depending upon the height of the person for which the chair is intended the leg members may be chosen of a proper length to place the chair at the desired height. A hose member may be provided with the chair for purposes of filling the bowl-shape portion and for securement to the drain spigot for purposes of removing the water from the bowl-shape portion. If the use of a hose member is not convenient a common pail may be used to both fill the tub and for placement under the spigot for purposes of draining the tub.

When it is desired to use the chair as a commode, the lid member 34 is placed upon the rim 32 of the base portion and the chamber pot 44 is inserted through the central opening 40 of the lid member.

When not in use as either a sit-bath or a commode, a cover 48 may be placed on the chamber pot and the chair may then be used as an ordinary chair. To give the chair a more attractive appearance, since it would ordinarily be used in the bedroom of an invalid, a cushion may be placed upon the lid and cover member to hide the same and provide a softer sitting surface. A decorative skirt may also be placed about the lower base por tion to cover the legs and the spigot.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

I claim:

1. A combination sit-bath and commode comprising a chair-like member having a bowl-shape base portion of water impervious material, support means secured to the bottom of said base portion, lid means removably supported by and covering said base portion and having an aperture therein, a chamber pot having an annular flange thereon complementary ,to and resting upon the edge of said aperture whereby said chamber pot is suspended by said lid and depends downwardly therefrom into said bowl-shape base, cover means for said chamber pot, said cover means and said lid means defining a seat portion for said chair-like member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said support means comprises detachable leg members whereby leg members of different lengths may be intechangeably utilized to support said bowl-shape base portion at the proper height from the floor.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein some of said leg members are provided with non-skid caps on the ends thereof and the other of said leg members are provided with roller means.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said chair-like member further comprises a back portion and arm portions integrally molded as one piece with said bowl-shape base portion from light weight plastic material.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said arm portions are provided with a roughened non-skid surface.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lid member is constructed from lightweight plastic material and reinforcing means are secured to the undersurface of said lid to strengthen said lid.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lid is provided with a recess about the periphery of said aperture adapted to receive the flange of said chamber pot.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said recess is of a depth equal to the thickness of said flange and said cover means.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said chamber pot is provided with handle means pivotally secured to the inside of said pot adjacent said flange and adapted to be pivoted to a position below the upper surface of said flange to enable said cover means to rest flush upon said flange.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said bowl-shape base portion is provided with drain means in the bottom thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 601,312 3/1898 Beall 297-492 1,691,620 11/1928 Wilson 4--134 2,530,474 11/1950 Lutes 4-134 2,776,438 1/1957 Zeraffa 4-134 3,127,215 3/1964 Hubbard 4-134 XR 3,258,291 6/1966 Ezquerra 4-134 XR 3,271,784 9/1966 Pelfiey 4134 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION SIT-BATH AND COMMODE COMPRISING A CHAIR-LIKE MEMBER HAVING A BOWL-SHAPE BASE PORTION OF WATER IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL, SUPPORT MEANS SECURED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID BASE PORTION, LID MEANS REMOVABLY SUPPORTED BY AND COVERING SAID BASE PORTION AND HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN, A CHAMBER POT HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE THEREON COMPLEMENTARY TO AND RESTING UPON THE EDGE OF 